The Ottawa free trader., 1887-11-12
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DARIUS REED.
The first White Child Born on the site o
the City of Chiongo--Eariy Liie
In La Sale County.

IA variety OF hindranceS beyond oul
control, have consphed 10 prevent the con
clusion of our sketch Of our esteemed old
Brookfeld neighbor, Darius Reed. but no"
we are free 10 c,oclude it, ami follow with
others of equal interest
At the conclusion of our first chapter on
Mr.. Reed, his father had returned 10 ono,
and Darius was hence bound Ia Mr. James
Galloway, living south of Msrseilles, We
here insert Mr.. Darius Reeds own account
of some incidents In his life
AsHoRT NARRATIVE on DARIUS REED,
ave came from Ohio with the llibbard
family, eight of them In number. We
stopped at Chicago, but they came on TO
the mouth of Fox river In 1921 Ottawa
was then almost unknown. They settled
on CIV creek. We remained In Chicago,
then swamp with two or three log houses
around old Fort Dearborn, block house
on Chicago river for some time, till my
brother Levi was born, who was the hrst
white child born In that city. Chicago was
then mere trading post, and Ottawa had
but few inhabitants A few days after the
birth of my baby brother father and left
for Covel creek, following an Ipdian tail
all the way 10 the mouth of Fox river
Having arrived here we sent back n team
TO Chicago for mother and the child |
remained here that winter and got my first
schooling in the winter Of 1923.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.
"Mr Cove bad corn mill on the creek
south of Ottawa, which stream still bears
his name. He used to grind corn for the
farmers far and near. Among them WAS
Louis Bailey. who gave his name to Bal
ley's Point The latter was joker and made
fun of Covel's MILL calling It's running
gear "hens nest" That made COvel
angry and he refused TO grind any more
corn for Bailey, and that gentlemans joke
worked like boomerang, for he had to
fall back upon his old ''hominy block"
again.
"In 1882, during the Sioux war, lived
with Archibald Clybourn In Chicago but
thinking him too hard master left him
10 1888 and returned to my old master, Mr..
Galloway In the spring of 1886 crossed
the Illinois river at Marsellles to get the
mail in little trapping canoe, a sort OF an
egg shell, and very difficult to keep right
side up even in still water Kimball had
saw mill at that point and was
above the dam. There was break In 1t
near the south shore, and of course the
water rushed with tremendous force to-
wards the opening. crossed the river all
right hut coming back ! got into the
"suck" and for my life could not get across
1t. There was log which had got stuck
on the bottom, one end out pointing up
tream. was going right straight against
it. put my paddle In the water, gave q
surge back, missed the log, then played
my paddles, jumped the "suck" and struck
the up current which turned me as quickly
as lightning conld have done. There was
no water running over the dam near the
shore, 80 | came out monarch of all |
surveyed.
81 lived with Thomas r. Covel the winter
of 1923, mentioned previously. | had to
work over half the time for my board, and
went three miles to school. MY clothes at
that time we're Of the most durable mate
rial Deer skin was the fashion then for
pants, and "wammusses" and "shoe packs"
were made Of sole leather after the style
OF Indian moccasons. | had buckskin
pants, vest and coat and a coonskin cap
with the hair on and the tail left on behind
for handle.
'Most people had their hominy blocks In
those days, on which they pounded corn
for "pones" or Johnny cake" which when
eaten eaten with fat pork gravy and
washed down with sweet milk was the
staple food of the country.
"Mr, Cevel had little mill which ran
by water power on Covel creek, but 1t was
so small that 1t could not grind much faster
than man could shell by hand
As previously stated, after Mr.. Reed, Sr.
had bound out his children, Angel, Emelint
and Darius, he returned to Ohio. From
that day to this he has never been heart
of by any OF his childben.
The Hibbard family, OF whom Darius
step mother was member, drifted to PekiI
and some Of them afterward moved I,
Oregon.
Darius lived with Mr.. Galloway yea
or more until Mrs. Galloway died, then Ii,
went to Chicago, to his son.in.law, Mr.
Clybourne, taking Darius with him. Thi
was In 1880. The young bound boy no
liking his new master, and Mr.. Gallowa
having returned to Marseiles, the youn
lad took French leave and ran away fron
Chicago. He was not legally bound I
serve the Dr., but was the lawful apprer
tice Of Mr. Galloway, and he concluded t
serve him or nobody. Mr.. Galloway VIII
was a good man, received the boy kindl